For some, Texans don’t top to-do list

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While Texans fans across Houston crammed into bars and huddled around TV screens to catch the end of a historic season Sunday, others were perfectly happy avoiding the action altogether.

They filled store parking lots and flowed out of malls with shopping bags, even as the matchup between the Ravens and Texans came down to the final play.

In a city that seemingly gushed playoff pride for two weeks, there was a distinct split Sunday between jersey-clad fans on the edge of their seats and those with other priorities.

For John Bach and his family, weekend plans were determined in advance: Sunday was to be blocked out for football watching at a sports bar. His family of four showed up at Buffalo Wild Wings on Weslayan just after 10 a.m., two hours before kickoff.

“This is the only thing that matters today,” said Bach, whose wife, Cathie Bach, added that their Bellaire home was set up for an open house during the game.

“We set up food at the house and left the TV on,” said Cathie Bach, adding that she put out Texans’ plates and cups for potential buyers who wanted to snack and keep track of the game while viewing the home with a Realtor.

Downstairs at CC Nails, Kassandra Lugo, of Katy, and her boyfriend, Christian Canto, weren’t paying much attention to the game, which played silently on flat-screen TVs in the salon.

“I don’t really watch football that much,” said Lugo, who was more focused on enjoying her manicure and pedicure.

Canto said football wasn’t really his thing.

“I’m Mexican,” he said. “I like soccer.”

The game was hard for most Houstonians to miss, interested or not.

At a Macy’s in west Houston, women gathered around the TV outside a fitting room to watch the game as they waited to try on clothes.

At Ikea, contract workers took their lunch break in front of the TV in the crowded store’s restaurant.

Chris Fielder had to tear himself away to get back to his shift. “It’s killing me a little, yes. But I made a commitment here first,” he said.

Many fans found themselves forced to get their Texans fix on the go.

Annette Melendez, dressed in a Texans hat and shirt, was shopping because her mother wanted to spend her birthday at the mall.

“I want her to be happy, so I’d rather be here,” she said. But she wasn’t completely out of the loop. Her brothers were texting her score updates from home.

Brendan Okere struggled to stream the game on his phone before his 3 p.m. shift at Abercrombie & Fitch in Memorial City Mall.

“I got here early just so I could watch the game and not be late to work,” he said. “If I watched it at home, I’d be late.”

Some shoppers weren’t fans at all.

“I have a philosophical problem with pro football,” said Ed Martinez, who was shopping at Costco near the Galleria.

Delayne Petitt, on the other hand, was a fan missing out on the action. He checked out a signed Brian Cushing jersey and other Texans mementos while his wife shopped at Memorial City Mall.